The recent rains brought about by the southwest monsoon have done P1.17 billion worth of damage to roads and flood control structures, the Department of Public works and Highways (DPWH) said Monday.
In Central Luzon alone, a partial cost of damage to public infrastructure was pegged at P699.16 million–P349.96 million in damaged roads and P301.20 million in flood-control structures.
Damage was also high in Region 4-A (Calabarzon), which lost P224.2 million–P222.62 million in damaged roads and P1.6 million in flood-control structures.
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) lost P113.5 million in damaged roads.
Some P39.66 million in damage was done to roads in the National Capital Region.
DPWH Quick Response Teams have cleared a total of 32 national roads in Luzon but six roads remain closed to traffic—four in CAR and two in Region 3 due to soil collapse and flooding.
The agriculture sector sustained P700 million in damage to crops from the bad weather.
The volume of production lost was estimated at 14,175 metric tons from 33,971 hectares of agricultural areas in CAR, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, CAlabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region and Western Visayas.
Other affected regions are still conducting their validation of damage and losses for a final estimate.
The department said movements of agri-fishery commodities in these regions were not affected by the weather disturbance.
Despite unabated rains and strong winds, farmers from Regions II, III, and Calabarzon managed to rescue rice crops planted to 2,398 hectares with a value of P227.94 million.
So far, the department has extended assistance to farmers of 121,119 bags of rice seeds; 14,832 bags of corn seeds, and 2,199 kgs of assorted vegetables in CAR, Regions I, II, III, Calabarzon and Mimaropa.
Meanwhile, the weather bureau warned that the Marikina River and other waterways in Metro Manila can still overflow even if generally fair weather is likely this week.
Rain from expected thunderstorms in Metro Manila may cause the waterways’ water to rise, spill over and flood surrounding areas, said Edgar dela Cruz, hydrologist at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
“Some of those thunderstorms can bring rainfall that’ll significantly increase water in waterways — making overflows there still possible,” he said.
He said people must monitor PAGASA’s advisories regarding thunderstorms that may affect their areas so they can prepare accordingly.
In its latest outlook for this week, PAGASA forecast generally fair weather in Metro Manila until around Friday (Aug. 6).
It isn’t discounting the possibility that isolated rain showers and thunderstorms may also occur in Metro Manila mostly during afternoons and evenings.